Drew Wilson Named 2019 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year
12/19/2019 1:15:00 PM | Football
Awarded vote on by Associated Press
ROCHESTER, Minn.—The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, have selected three college football student-athletes—Jake Luton of Oregon State University, Drew Wilson of Georgia Southern University and Octavion Wilson of Salisbury University—as the winners of the 2019 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. The three student-athletes, who are being recognized for overcoming injury or illness, will be honored during an on-field ceremony at the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Dec. 28, 2019.
Drew Wilson was selected in a vote of AP College Football Poll Voters while Octavion Wilson was chosen by a vote of the CoSIDA small-college advisory board. Luton, along with six student-athletes named Honorable Mention, was selected by a vote of AP, CoSIDA, the Fiesta Bowl organization and the editors of Touchdown Illustrated, college football's gameday publication.
A total of $30,000 will be donated in the names of the honorees to their school's general scholarship fund, with $15,000 being awarded in the names of the three winners and $15,000 on behalf of the six named honorable mention: Shaun Crawford (DB, University of Notre Dame); Alex Martinez (QB, Saint Xavier University); Josh Paschal (DL, University of Kentucky); Hunter Spriggs (OL, Chapman University); Isaiah Weston (WR, University of Northern Iowa); and Antoine Winfield Jr. (DB, University of Minnesota).
"We commend Jake, Drew, Octavion and all of the inspiring student-athletes we recognized this season for sharing their personal stories of overcoming adversity to help fans better appreciate the roads these young men have traveled," says Doug Vance, executive director of CoSIDA. "We hope these stories of achievement can inspire other people to meet the challenges in their own lives."
"We understand how challenging it can be for student-athletes to return from injury or illness," says Dr. Michael Stuart, co-director, Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine. "The 30 student-athletes we recognized this year are representative of the motivation, determination and perseverance that student-athletes all across America demonstrate on a daily basis."
Here's a look at the football student-athletes chosen as 2019 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners and the six young men recognized as Honorable Mention. For details on all 30 nominees, visit www.Comeback-Player.comhttp://www.Comeback-Player.com and follow on social media at @ComebackPlayrFB and #MayoClinicCPOY.
Jake Luton, a quarterback for Oregon State University, was carted off the field on a stretcher after suffering a thoracic spine fracture in week four of the 2017 season versus Washington State. The Marysville, Washington, native returned in 2018 but was limited to just five starts after suffering an ankle injury in week one. The team captain's remarkable comeback was completed this season, leading the Beavers to a 5-6 record in his 11 starts by completing 222 of 358 passes (62 percent) for 2,714 yards, 28 TDs and just three interceptions. He joins Justin Fields and Tua Tagovailoa as the only quarterbacks to throw 25 touchdown passes with three or fewer interceptions. He ranks seventh in career passing yards at OSU with 5,227 and fifth with 42 career touchdown passes. His 28 touchdown passes this season were the third best ever for an OSU quarterback. The sixth-year senior has a 3.43 GPA, and degrees in sociology and innovation management.
Drew Wilson, an offensive lineman for Georgia Southern University, missed the entire 2018 season, suffering a detached retina in his right eye. What was initially thought to be the onset of pre-diabetes due to its rapid escalation was determined by specialists in Charleston to be a detached retina, which then required four surgeries to repair. Due to sensitivity to light following the surgeries, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Bamburg, South Carolina, native was forced to take the fall semester off. Unable to study or work out, he started to think about his future without football. But following his final surgery, he was convinced that the risks of playing were minimal. As a result of surgeries, Drew is legally blind in the eye. The redshirt junior regained his starting position at right tackle this season and helped the high-powered Eagles offense average 29.17 points, and 333.7 yards per game. With a 7-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference, the Eagles will take on Liberty University in the Cure Bowl in Orlando.
Octavion Wilson, a senior wide receiver for Salisbury University, played his first two seasons of college football for Division III powerhouse Mount Union. Following a promising freshman season, in which he recorded 11 receptions and five touchdowns, he was diagnosed with pericarditis—an inflammation of the lining around the heart. While training for a comeback in 2017, the Lincoln, Delaware, native was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy—a neuromuscular disease resulting from damage to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. The two years of serious illness, coupled with the inability to play football, led the young man to attempt to take his life several times. But, in January 2018, with both his physical and mental states improved, he dedicated himself to family, friends and faith. He transferred closer to home to earn his degree in Engineering Physics and play football for Salisbury University, a Division III school in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Despite the Sea Gulls being primarily a running team, Wilson led the team with 23 receptions, 393 yards and three touchdowns. His 17.3 yards per catch was good for second in the NJAC. He also set the school's single game record with 182 yards receiving versus The College of New Jersey.
Players Mentioned
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